Belmont Park has moved a step closer to its long-awaited return after NYRA confirmed firm dates for limited training on the newly rebuilt racing surfaces.
The Tapeta track is set to open for light galloping and jogging from Monday, June 29, while the main track will follow from Wednesday, July 1. It is the clearest practical sign yet that the Long Island venue is edging out of its construction phase and back toward daily racing use.
The update matters because Belmont has been without training on its main track since December 2023, with the wider rebuilding project forcing major New York fixtures, including the Belmont Stakes, away from their traditional home. ReadHorseRacing has already covered Belmont Park’s confirmed September 18 racing return, and this latest announcement gives horsemen the first working window on the new surfaces.
Belmont training schedule confirmed
According to NYRA’s official announcement, the Tapeta will be available on Mondays and Tuesdays from 5:30am to 7am. The main track will be available Wednesday through Sunday from 5:30am to 8am.
The programme is deliberately limited while construction continues around the grandstand and infield. Timed workouts have not yet been cleared on either surface, with NYRA saying a date for breezes will be determined later.
That distinction is important. Jogging and light galloping allow trainers to start learning the feel of the new set-up, but the return of recorded works will be the next major signal for barns preparing runners for the autumn meet.
Belmont’s rebuild has already reshaped the New York calendar, with the 2026 Belmont Stakes again staged at Saratoga. The move helped frame the wider Triple Crown season, from the decision to hold the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga to the post-race discussion around Golden Tempo’s rise after his Belmont surge.
Now the focus begins to shift back downstate. Belmont is scheduled to reopen for live racing on September 18, and the gradual return of horses to the main track and Tapeta gives the project a more tangible racing pulse.
For New York racing, the sight of horses back on Belmont’s surfaces will carry almost as much meaning as the first race itself.
